Animated images with accompanying sound are a common form of entertainment and can be found providing amusement for children and adults. Animated images are also commonly used in advertising. Often, an animated image is displayed using a screen such as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) with an associated speaker to provide accompanying sounds. The sounds associated with the animated image can be as much a part of the experience of viewing an animated image as the image itself and often provide much of the entertainment or information.
At times, such screens are impractical or undesirable and animated images can be displayed on other, non-traditional, surfaces such as fabric, metal or plastic and various personal or household items such as clothing, pillows or tabletops. However, it is generally the case that animated images displayed on these or other non-traditional surfaces are displayed without any accompanying sounds, thus depriving viewers of a significant portion of the entertainment or information that could otherwise have been derived from the experience.
There exist methods of displaying animated images on other surfaces such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,461,365, 4,875,144 and 4,709,307. However, these documents do not disclose any technique for synchronizing sound with the animated images.
There exist methods of coordinating sounds with light displays, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,185,276, 5,461,188, 5,128,843. However, these documents do not disclose means for synchronizing sounds with animated images.